#25 - Mixing it up
WFABH, je ne sais quoi, and designing your life
I’ll be honest… I’m done with WFH.
It was fun. But, for me, the novelty has worn off. Time to mix it up.
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WFABH
With things opening up I’ve been experimenting with WFABH (Work From Anywhere But Home).
Outside areas are back in business, and a result I’ve spent the last week huddled in various cafe gardens lamenting the unpredictable April weather. Not ideal.
My main issue with WFH is the lack of variety. We humans are creatures of habit, and our environments act as triggers. Sitting in the same spot, in the same room, for all my calls and hours of email, means that when it comes to doing focused work my attention is scattered and I fail.
Changing scene has allowed me a fresh start. It’s allowed me to compartmentalise. For example, every Saturday I’m tasked with writing this newsletter. Last week’s addition was painfully drawn out across the day. I tried tackling it from home and spent hours hoping up to make another cup of tea and absentmindedly checking email. Today? I’m in a cafe garden in Highbury, after a morning swim. There’s not a cloud in the sky or an email insight. I fully expect to wrap this up in the next 45 minutes. A much better arrangement.
Je ne sais quoi
Some places just have it; a certain je ne sais quoi. Every big decision taken whilst launching Unplugged was made in the White Swan; a Wetherspoons pub in Highbury & Islington. Not at evening drinks, as you might imagine- at 9am on a Monday morning, during Ben and my weekly strategy meeting.
For whatever reason when we are in the White Swan, we’re transformed. The ideas flow. There’s something meditative about weaving through old geezers in England shirts tucking into their morning pints, clasping a couple of £0.99 unlimited refill coffees. The day to day stresses of running a startup melt away and we can strategise to our hearts content.
I couldn’t, for the life of me, tell you why it works so well. During the latest lockdown, with ‘spoons closed, we moved our weekly meeting to a co-working space. It just doesn’t do the trick; something about the environment is not there.
With outside areas now open we’re trialling alternatives. I hope we can replicate the White Swan. The company depends on it.
Design Your Life
Environments matter. It’s why our cabin has been a hit- because it’s buried in nature. We’re not built to live in cities. The constant commotion is not good for us and getting back to nature is a simple remedy. Likewise, every environment we spend time in has an effect on us. It’s far more influential than we might expect.
There’s a wider point here about lifestyle design. It’s not just the physical space that we’re influenced by. There’s an old Jim Rohn quote:
You’re the sum of the five people you spend the most time with.
So true. Who we spend our lives with is immensely impactful. The surest way to becoming a nicer, more positive person, is to spend time with people embodying those attributes. Likewise, spend time with people who are argumentative, and negative and those too will rub off.
Where you spend your time and who with are crucial. The good news is that we really can design our lives. This doesn’t mean jetting off to Bali to become a digital nomad. It can be as simple as sitting in a different room for calls, or seeing a little more of that neighbour you like. There’s always a way to make a change. What you change is down to you.
My Week in Books📚
Caesar by Adrian Goldworthy
Thrilling. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed reading this. A remarkable insight into the world of the Romans and one of history’s most iconic figures. It’s been a while since I’ve read a non-fiction book as difficult to put down.
I’ll be updating the books I’ve read this year here. Any recommendations? Let me know!
A Final Thought 💡
“You're only as good as your options and your surroundings.”
- Big Narstie
You’re the sum of the five people you spend the most time with. 👏🏼